Took to shop for alignment, they said ball joints, tie rods were all good and aligned best they could. i was informed of the lower control arm bracket on passenger side on the axle had been damaged and rewelded back on from the looks of it.

my problem is a clunking almost like noise while driving over bumps....and if i sit in park and turn right to left....seems like osmething is making a noise like its loose.

i have replaced shocks....since they were junk... not sure if maybe the control arm bushings are bad and causing something like this?

i noticed the passenger side sway bar link was bent at top too....

truck had some accident damage on right side of it when i bought it....
im just trying to get these noises ironed out.... ideas?

 

Wheel bearings?

 

any good tests for this?

 

Check the mounting of the trackbar.

 

Check all the bushings,steering gear box,trac bar,hub units,tie rods.Everything you can grab,shake and wiggle to check for looseness.Also check the motor mounts and tranny mount.Jack it up and grab the tire and try to wiggle it up and down,side to side.

 

i will try some more checking tonight. i took a short prybar and worked the control arms at the bushings, there was a little play in all....but it was looking just like flex in the bushings themselves...none of them moved much otherwise.

as far as tie rods, shops said they were all good.

i tried checking the trans mount last night, but need to get it up in air more....couldn't do much with it on the ground.

motor mounts are good.

i can do some trackbar checking next. are you talking of the bracket on the drivers side that the trackbar mounts too? check it?

 

i did some checking on the trackbar and from what im seeing so far, looks like someone has had the trackbar off before because the bolt and nut bolting it on isn't original...and honestly...theres no way it could have been tightened down properly let alone torqued. there was a nylon insert locknut on the bolt....i don't see how i can get it tightened... right now im jsut trying to get it to unthread to pull it all out of there...i ran out of time on my lunch hour.

i first put the ratchet on the bolt to check for tightened and it rotated easily...

i called local dealer to get proper bolt and retaining plate nut for the setup. i think i will be replacing the trackbar bushing too at least since most likely its all torn up from being driven loose like this.

im hopeful this is my problem...ill keep this updated!

 

Sounds like you found your problem!

 

I just had the same prob my Jeep is actually at the shop as we speak and I was just getting lower and upper ball joints but the shop owner called me and told me that I needed new wheel bearings and axle u joints.

 

I have the same popping noise and have been leaning towards the track bar as well, just have not gotten around to crawling underneath and checking it out.

 

i picked up my new factory bolt and retaining nut for it. Also got a new "problem solver" bushing for the trac bar. so we will see this weekend. if this don't get it...next i will start looking at hub bearings i guess.... u joints.....

 

Let us know either way. I am interested to know...

 

update.

noise is gone!

I got the bolt and nut out of there that someone had put in...not correct. was going to replace bushing on trac bar, but the one it is in good shape and actually the bushing sleeve fit the new factory bolt better then the replacement one i bought, so i didn't replace the bushing. i put the new bolt and nut in there and torqued it properly. no more clunking and such.

finally.....

 

Im battling with trac bar noises myself. Let me know if it stays gone

 

I finally got under mine to check it out.... mine appears to be the tie rod end that mounts to the "frame".